


if broken hearts were whole

by jillyfae



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode: s01e04 Raising Hell, Everybody Lives, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, POV Multiple, Romance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-05-14 13:11:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14770263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jillyfae/pseuds/jillyfae
Summary: Magnus never shook anyone’s hand. Not when he first met them, not until after he’d managed a nudge with a shoulder or an elbow, a tap from his left hand, some innocent contact somewhere safe. Not since he’d realized what the mark on his palm meant. Not once had he faltered, not since the first time someone he’d loved had left him. It hurt enough when it had been a love he’d chosen; he hated to imagine how much worse it would be when destiny itself broke around him.At first Alec thought he didn’t have a soulmark. Not everyone did. Sometimes they disappeared, or changed, and sometimes they showed up later in life, signifying some twist of fate passed, some important choice resolved that you hadn’t even realized you’d made. But Alec doubted he’d be one of those, didn’t think he’d ever be able to want someone, be wanted back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pameluke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pameluke/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be soulmates/massage AU for janoda/pameluke, but sort of turned into soulmates/touch instead... which is hopefully close enough? Though now that this keeps inspiring more chapters, we'll probably get to the massage eventually. ;)
> 
> [[tumblr](http://faejilly.tumblr.com/post/174249914163)]

Magnus never shook anyone’s hand. Not when he first met them, not until after he’d managed a nudge with a shoulder or an elbow, a tap from his left hand, some innocent contact somewhere safe. Not since he’d realized what the mark on his palm meant.

Not once had he faltered, not since the first time someone he’d loved had left him. It hurt enough when it had been a love he’d chosen; he hated to imagine how much worse it would be when destiny itself broke around him.

He’d had a butterfly next to his left knee for almost a hundred years, and successfully waited that one out until it faded. He was sure he could do it again.

The mark on his palm was a feather, small and curled in on itself. The edges looked soft, and sometimes when he was alone he’d let a fingertip trail along the line of the shaft down the middle, would imagine the few downy wisps at the base brushing against his skin.

* * *

At first Alec thought he didn’t have a soulmark. Not everyone did. Sometimes they disappeared, or changed, and sometimes they showed up later in life, signifying some twist of fate passed, some important choice resolved that you hadn’t even realized you’d made. But Alec doubted he’d be one of those, didn’t think he’d ever be able to want someone, be wanted back.

The lack seemed appropriate, considering.

But then one day the sun caught against his skin just right, and he saw a hint of glitter down the fingers of his left hand, the barest shimmer that never washed away. He wondered what he’d done that had changed his fate. Wondered if maybe his soulmate had done something instead. Wondered what would happen if he touched a man and the glitter changed, if he touched a man and _everyone knew._

Every time he noticed it again his breath would catch in his throat, fear burning between each swallow.

He shook everyone’s hand when he met them, made sure his right hand was the first to touch. The rest of the time he held his left hand behind his back, his right carefully curled around his wrist or his palm or his fingers, protecting them.

Protecting himself.

Until he forgot to shake Magnus Bane’s hand.

Almost forgot his own _name,_ certainly forgot that there was anything to protect himself _from._ Might not have wanted to, even if he had remembered.

He only realized it when they were all standing around the pentagram, when it was already too late, and Magnus reached out a hand that Alec knew he was going to take. It was hope that burned behind his eyes this time, brilliant and sharp and completely different from anything he’d ever felt before.

* * *

It was only when he put his hand out that Magnus realized he hadn’t touched Alec Lightwood yet, hadn’t made sure, hadn’t protected himself. But it was too late now. He swallowed, and waited. Alec stared too long for it to be anything other than deliberate consideration before reaching out and taking Magnus’ hand.

Magnus barely noticed the summoning spell activate, because he could feel the feather in his palm uncurl against Alec’s fingers, could feel the prick of the quill at the tip, the trail of the barbs soft against his skin. Magnus could feel Alec’s grip tighten, could see his eyes widen, his lips part, and that same dizzy smile from when he’d introduced himself lit up his face again.

_Oh._

Magnus tried to follow the spell as it worked its way around the circle, managed to spare just enough attention to take the other Lightwood’s hand, to corral the magic in the right direction to activate Clary’s pentagram, but he couldn’t make himself look away from hazel eyes, from the smile on Alec’s face, soft and open and _still there,_ no hint of it fading away. Alec had to feel the swirl of the magic, the way it spiralled through the group, but he didn’t seem to care, didn’t let his gaze waver, not until the demon manifested and yanked on the spell, too strong to be ignored.

The demon demanded its payment. It started with Isabelle, a glimpse of Alec smiling in the air between them. Magnus heard an echo of Ragnor and Catarina laughing above his head, and couldn’t help but wonder what it would take if he had to do such a spell again some day in the future, if he’d have a memory as warm as Isabelle’s, a memory of Alec smiling just for him.

The flicker of light above Alec curled around itself, and Magnus caught a glimpse of a group rather than an individual, and felt something twist in his chest. Few people had a strong enough heart to love like that, to love enough there was no doubt it was true for everyone they cared for. Magnus saw the sister, the blonde Shadowhunter who was standing on Alec’s other side, and another boy, shorter and younger, with a smile like Isabelle’s and spread hands as expressive as Alec’s.

_Family._

The blonde one was next, and it was Alec again, younger, the flare of a _parabatai_ rune visible in their clasped hands.

_His family loved him as much as he loved them._

Magnus’ heart was _doomed_.

That ought to be terrifying. It wasn’t.

Jocelyn’s face was next, was last, and with Clary’s payment the demon bowed, a flare of light bright enough to wash out all the colors of the room as Clary’s memories were returned, as the demon fled and the spell faded away.

Isabelle let go of Magnus’ hand, and she and the blond one turned to Clary, braced her as she wavered, her body and mind trying to acclimate to the sudden surge of power, to the weight of all those memories tumbling through her.

Alec didn’t let go. Spared a quick glance to the side to be sure the other three were all right, and turned back to Magnus.

Magnus winked at him, and Alec looked down and he _blushed._ But then he lifted his chin, and there was a flicker in his eyes as if he’d looked at Magnus’ mouth on the way back up to Magnus’ eyes, and then he licked his lips.

Magnus felt his eyes widen and wondered if he was blushing too. He didn’t think he’d ever blushed before.

 _Hold that thought,_ he mouthed, and he made himself slide his hand free of Alec’s grip. Pretended his whole chest didn’t ache with it when he noticed Alec’s hand stay where he’d left it, still hovering in front of him as if waiting for Magnus’ hand to return.

_Doomed._

Magnus made himself turn and walk away. Just a step, but it felt like forever. He slid a finger under Clary’s chin, waited until her eyes focused and she looked at him directly. He tilted her head back and forth, let his magic flicker around them, a quick check to make sure everything had lined up properly. “You’ll be fine, biscuit, but you’ll need a good night’s sleep for your mind to process the memories.”

“Biscuit?” Her voice lifted, and there was a glint of something in her eyes. “I can almost?”

Magnus smiled. Somehow he wasn’t surprised she was pulling them all together faster than usual. She’d always been a determined one. “You’ll know tomorrow.”

“That’s it?” Blondie sounded annoyed, and Magnus wondered what hidden depths he had that let Alec think so fondly of him. “We have to wait? Again? With Valentine just out there, doing whatever he’s doing, and Clary’s mom still lost?”

Isabelle rolled her eyes and smacked him on the shoulder. “We got her memories back, Jace, calm down. We also got away from Valentine, and may have a new ally.” She slid a sideways smile at Magnus, a flick of her eyes back towards Alec standing on the other side of the now scuffed and faded pentagram. Magnus wondered if she knew what had just happened. “All in all, I think that counts as a good day.”

Jace frowned, and Magnus was sure Blondie didn’t have a clue. Then Jace sighed, and his shoulders eased. “Sorry, you’re right. It’s been a weird couple of days.”

Alec snorted softly in the background.

Jace shot Alec a grin, bright and cocky and yet somehow still clearly _devoted_ , and Magnus was forced to admit the _parabatai_ had a certain amount of charm. “I know. Let’s go back to the Institute and rest, be all sensible and figure something out before we make our next move, right?”

“Maybe Alec should stay.” Isabelle interrupted. “Work out some of the details of our new… partnership.” The grin she aimed at Magnus was blinding. She’d definitely figured it out. “What do you say, Magnus?”

“Sounds perfectly reasonable.” Magnus had a feeling he didn’t sound nearly as unaffected as he’d tried, because Clary’s eyes narrowed a little as she looked at him.

“Fair enough.” Alec’s voice was perfectly level, but Isabelle’s smile twitched, and Magnus suspected Alec had somehow given something away, too.

Jace’s frown was back, a flicker in his eyes as he looked from Magnus to Alec, but he rolled his shoulders, and nodded, and hid whatever he was thinking. It only took a few more moments to offer them a portal and send them off to their Institute’s steps.

Leaving him and Alec alone.

* * *

Magnus was so damn _beautiful._

So beautiful it was hard to breathe, but it was a pleasant sort of breathless, the opposite of the fear that had haunted Alec the rest of his life. He didn’t seem to have any room left for any of his old fears.

He could feel the bubbles of a few new ones trying to form to take their place, mostly about Magnus this time, about power and safety and _what if I’m a terrible kisser?_ Which was an embarrassing sort of thing to be worried about right now, so he ignored them all in favor of the memory of Magnus’ hand in his. Magnus in general, and the feeling of Alec’s mark coming to life, sparking and sparkling like a fire that had warmed his bones without once burning too hot

Alec stepped closer to Magnus as the portal closed, and reached out his hand, and it was only when Magnus glanced down and gasped that he thought to look himself, to see what had happened when they touched.

About half the glitter had darkened, a blue so deep it was almost black, most of the rest a scattering of gold that flickered with reflected light, with a few faint specks of pink peeking out between the rest of them.

“It’s like you have the universe dancing across your fingertips.” Magnus’ voice was softer, warmer than it had been before, and something in Alec’s chest ached at the sound. “I want to make about five terribly inappropriate jokes about what else you could do with your hands, but first, maybe… would you care to have a drink with me?”

“Of, yes, I don’t, that is, I mean.” Alec closed his eyes and swallowed. He was such a mess. He didn’t drink. He didn’t have a clue what to do with his hands. Or his feet. Or his _anything._ He wouldn’t blame Magnus at all if he decided he didn’t want to deal with some stuttering fool looming in the middle of his home.

He made himself open his eyes again, and felt the ache in his chest deepen even as the tight line of his spine relaxed, both thanks to the soft, warm smile on Magnus’ face. Alec curved his wrist, stretched a little closer to Magnus’ hand. “Can I see?”

There was a flicker of gold in Magnus’ eyes, gone almost before Alec had noticed it. He shrugged, not quite easily, and turned his hand with a graceful twist of his wrist and flare of his fingers.

There was a cardinal feather across his palm, bright red with a black spine. Before he’d even thought about it Alec reached out, his finger gently following the black line across Magnus’ skin.

Magnus made a noise, soft and startled, and Alec almost jumped, tried to pull his hand back. “Oh, sorry, I shouldn't—”

Magnus’ hand turned, and he gripped Alec’s hand tightly before he could slip away. “No, don’t, please. Don’t apologize.”

“Sorry, I—” Alec stopped again, and rolled his eyes at himself. “Apparently I can’t not apologize.”

Magnus’ smile widened. “Well, I’m _terrible_ at apologizing, so I guess that balances out.”

“Does it now.” Alec smiled back. “That sounds a bit uneven to me.”

“We’ll just have to find something _else_ I can do for you, then.” Magnus lifted an eyebrow and his smile was now kind of a smirk, and Alec was relatively sure he’d just been propositioned, but he didn’t have the faintest idea what to do about it.

Magnus’ smile faded a little at Alec’s silence, and that was the _opposite_ of what Alec wanted but he didn’t know how to stop it. “Uh, you mentioned a drink? Or maybe, I don’t know, dinner?”

Alec was not at all sure when he’d last managed to eat. Dinner might give him enough to time to remember how to _talk._ Which would be nice. He was reasonably sure he wasn’t usually a complete idiot, and if he could _talk_ maybe he’d convince Magnus of that too.

He really wanted to convince Magnus of that.

Alec also really wanted to kiss him, but that was _definitely_ more than he could figure out at the moment.

Magnus’ smile came back at his suggestion, and Alec felt a little dizzy. “Are we going on our first date? Wherever would you like us to go, Alexander?”

 _First date._ Implying more. _Alexander._ That. Did unexpected things to his throat and his spine and his everything, and Alec thought he might be blushing again. Still? Forever, at this rate.

“Uh. I don’t know, I don’t usually.” Fuck. He had to tell him. It was going to get all weird and Magnus was going to know there was something wrong with him and this whatever it was… Alec swallowed. “I’ve never?”

He shook his head a little, and squared his shoulders. He was done being a mess. “I’ve never gone on a date. An hour ago I wasn’t even _out._ ”

Magnus’ face did a _thing,_ and yep, awkward. Terrible. He couldn’t even manage a _soulmate_ properly.

“We don’t have to go out.” Magnus’ voice was soft, and he tilted his head and his eyes were shining and that. That was not terrible at all. “If you’d rather, I have a very good collection of take-out menus. We could stay in, and talk. If you. Want to?”

Alec frowned. He didn’t think that was what he meant. Not that that didn’t sound lovely, just ordering something and settling in and talking, but. There was something else Magnus seemed to be saying that he wasn’t getting. Alec stared at Magnus a bit too long as he tried to figure it out, until he realized Magnus looked almost sad, and easily as nervous as he felt.

_Oh._

“I don’t want to _hide,_ Magnus. I’m certainly out now.” He turned his wrist, and grinned down at the stars sparkling across his fingers. His hand was almost as pretty as Magnus. Which was amazing. Magnus was amazing.

He looked back up at Magnus, whose shoulders were starting to curl back and forth like they had when he’d introduced himself. Alec was pretty sure that was a good sign. “I just don’t know where to go to eat. I tend to order from the three places near the Institute that are willing to deliver to an abandoned church.”

Magnus’ entire face dropped in absolute _horror,_ and Alec had to swallow a snort of laughter. “You’ve never. In _New York City?_ There are so many. We have to go right now.”

He grabbed Alec’s hand, and Alec didn’t even try to swallow the next laugh as Magnus dragged him towards the door. “Where are we going?”

“Everywhere.”


	2. Chapter 2

"What are you _doing_?" Isabelle slid and skidded her way down the Institute's steps to stop her brother before he walked into range of the entrance camera. He was lucky she'd seen him in time. "Mom's back from Alicante, and Jace fobbed her off by saying you'd done a quick morning patrol since things are so unsettled, but that's not going to work if you walk in like—" 

Isabelle gestured, she couldn't quite figure out what he was walking in like, but when she'd told him to stay at Magnus' last night she hadn't thought he'd stay _all night_ or be stupid enough to walk back to the Institute the next day _hand in fucking hand._

Apparently encouraging Alec to smile at someone besides family also encouraged Alec to _lose his damn mind._ "I'm sorry Magnus, but no matter how stupid it is, he can't just bring a warlock into the Institute, and you both know that."

"Yes, I can." Alec grinned, and Isabelle felt the weird tangle of almost-panic that had been tightening around her lungs all morning burst like a bubble in her chest. She couldn't remember _ever_ seeing him grin before. That. That would be worth whatever the hell their mother did in reaction to this. Whatever this was.

Isabelle couldn't help but smile back, even as she lifted her hands and spread them wide with a shrug. "How?"

Alec looked at Magnus, and Magnus looked at Alec, and _by the angel,_ something burned in her throat and she had to blink, almost missing the lift of Magnus' eyebrow. They turned back to her, and let go of each other and turned their palms up towards her.

She blinked again, and then looked down at their hands and _oh._ The feather on Magnus' palm was as red as the ones Alec used for his arrows, and Alec's hand looked like he'd grabbed a galaxy out of the night sky and claimed it as his own.

"You had a soulmark and never told me?" She'd thought she was startled when she opened her mouth, but her voice came out too sad, soft and slow. 

Alec's other hand reached under her chin, slight pressure up from his fingers making her lift her head and look him in the eyes. "I didn't think I could let it matter."

She closed her eyes. She knew what he meant. She'd always known, but she hadn't realized just how deeply hopeless he'd felt. She opened her eyes again, and turned to Magnus, and had to sniff at the look in his eyes, soft and adoring as he stared at her brother. 

"Finally someone besides me noticed Alec's amazing, huh?" Her voice sounded a little damp, but Magnus smiled, and Alec ducked his head, and somehow everything was better. She coughed. "Well. This is going to be an interesting morning."

* * *

Jace saw Isabelle and Alec on the security screen, and before he could manage a sigh of relief he saw _Magnus Bane_ walking up the Institute steps with them. Working with the High Warlock was one thing, but bringing him here, when Maryse was just waiting for an excuse... He slapped the power button and kicked the power cord and ran before anyone else realized the monitors were all off.

He reached the front door right when they did, and grabbed Alec's shoulders right before he ran right into him. _"What are you—"_

Alec grinned at him, and loosened the usual grip they kept on their bond, letting it flood forward rather than humming quietly in the background. Jace felt such _delight_ pouring through him that he stopped, mouth still half open. He'd always known that Alec was trying to repress how unhappy he was, but now that it was the opposite, he could sense how deep that unhappiness had really been.

Yesterday. Before Magnus. 

_Oh._

Jace stepped back, trying to figure out what to say, or what to do, because Maryse wasn't going to realize that Alec was actually _Alec_ for the first time in... ever. She'd just see a Downworlder in her Institute, and Alec failing to enforce the rules.

Alec reached out, his right hand curving around the back of Jace's neck, and he nudged, and Jace looked down. Alec lifted his left hand up between them, and Jace felt his eyes widen as he saw the night sky across Alec's fingers. 

Jace laughed, he couldn't help it, and he pulled Alec into a hug. They had different rules to play with, now.

"Magnus!" Clary's voice echoed down the hallway, and Jace stepped back in time to watch her hug Magnus. 

Magnus hugged her back, and Jace swallowed another laugh as Alec shook his head and sighed. All Alec's favorite people liked Clary, he was stuck with her now. Forever.

This morning was _amazing._

"Good morning, biscuit." Magnus smiled at Clary as she stepped back, and she tilted her head. 

"I've never seen you smile like that." She leaned in closer, glanced sideways at Alec and back again. "And I remember a lot of afternoons in your lair now."

Magnus shrugged, and looked almost _shy,_ which was honestly really weird and kind of adorable and Jace nudged Alec with his elbow in delight. His _parabatai_ made the High Warlock of Brooklyn _shy._ Clary glanced down at Magnus palm, and her eyes widened, and she let out an _honest to the Angel_ squeal before hugging Magnus again. "I'm so happy for you."

"Happy for what, may I ask?" The whole group stiffened, and turned, and Jace resisted the urge to wiggle his fingers in a wave at their mother. Maryse didn't look like she'd be amused. "And why is Magnus Bane on Institute grounds?"

"I'm updating his security clearance." Alec spoke up immediately, his voice strong and steady.

Maryse's eyes flicked to Alec's, a frown visible between her brows. Alec just stood there though, back straight and expression still, and Jace had to bite his lip to stop himself from grinning. 

"While it's certainly _helpful_ of him to assist with Valentine's daughter," Maryse's voice made it clear how much she valued Magnus' help, and Jace felt Alec stiffen beside him. "I am sure we can come to an arrangement regarding payment without doing anything so drastic."

"You misunderstand me." Alec's voice was a little deeper, and still steady, and Jace swallowed as something shifted in Maryse's eyes. Alec felt almost _dangerous_ beside him, in a way Jace had never felt from him outside of a fight. "I wasn't asking."

Maryse didn't say anything right away. She could clearly tell there was something else going on, but she equally clearly had no idea what. "You are not Head of the Institute, Alec. You cannot unilaterally make such decisions."

"I can about this." Jace swallowed. Alec wasn't going to tell her. He was going to make her ask. Make her come to him. 

Maryse's lips tightened. She knew what he was doing. She was probably the one who'd taught him _how,_ and Jace thought there was a flicker of something like pride in her eyes before her frown came back. 

"Alec." Maryse took a step forward. Alec lifted his chin and she stopped. Clary started to move, a shift of red hair in Jace's peripheral vision, but Izzy reached a hand out and she stilled. 

Alec waited.

"Why?" Maryse's voice was quiet now, soft in a way Jace didn't think he'd heard in _years._ He wasn't sure if it was a peace offering, or surrender, but he had the feeling Alec could tell. He'd always understood their mother better than the rest of them.

Alec stepped forward, reached out with his right hand. Maryse put hers out too as if in habit, as if to shake. Alec took her hand, turned it and lifted it, and then put his left hand across her palm, his fingers spread wide so she could see. 

Maryse inhaled, sharp enough Jace could hear it, and then closed her eyes. Her shoulders shifted, as if they'd almost sagged before she got herself back under control. She pulled her hand out of Alec's grasp and stepped backwards, opening her eyes only after she'd stopped moving.

"The Clave—" she started.

"The Law is very clear, mother." Alec's voice was gentle. Much more gentle than Maryse deserved, in Jace's opinion. The Law was on Alec's side. Nephilim soulmates immediately had the same security clearance and access as the highest ranking partner. As Alec's soulmate, Magnus Bane was kind of second in command of the New York Institute. Jace was relatively sure that it worked both ways, too, and Alec was now sort of part of the Warlock Council.

Not that Shadowhunters ever actually came home with a Downworlder soulmate, or Downworlders ever voluntarily had anything to do with Shadowhunters, most going out of their way to avoid any contact that might trigger a soulmark. 

Somehow it seemed appropriate that Alec would be the one who'd change that. 

Maryse shook her head. Her eyes were too wide, and Jace was startled to realize that, under the anger and the tension in her posture, she almost looked afraid. 

"You know very well," she swallowed, and couldn't seem to finish her sentence. "Magnus Bane?"

"Yes."

Maryse threw her hands up in the air, as if she couldn't deal with any of it for another second. "I have to go tell your father." She turned around and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor.

"That went well," Izzy said when they couldn't hear Maryse's footsteps any longer.

Clary scoffed, and then paused as she looked at Izzy's face. "Wait. You meant that. That was _well?_ "

"Much better than I'd expected." Magnus shrugged as Clary stared at him. "You'll see, biscuit. It's just going to get more exciting from here on out."

Alec snorted, and turned back to face the rest of them. He smiled at Magnus, and Jace almost _awww-ed_ out loud. They were both adorable. It was amazing. He needed a hundred pictures so he could tease Alec _forever._

Alec flicked a glare in Jace's direction, clearly picking up on his intentions. Jace grinned, and plastered as innocent an expression as he could manage onto his face. Izzy giggled, and Alec sighed, but he didn't stop smiling. Instead he reached his hand out, and Magnus took it, and they started walking again, further into the Institute. 

Jace turned and looked at Izzy. 

_They're holding hands,_ she mouthed at him. She had the biggest grin he'd ever seen on her face, and he grinned back.

He tilted his head, and Clary nodded, and they all trailed along behind Alec and Magnus, waiting to see what they'd do next. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [[tumblr](http://faejilly.tumblr.com/post/175958830008)]

Clary followed Izzy and Jace into an office of some sort and waited for Alec and Magnus to finish in Ops and join them.

She had a headache.

It wasn't a _bad_ headache, but it was... heavy and solid and impossible to ignore. The inside of her head was too big for the outside, and she kept getting flashes of memory triggered by the strangest things, bits and pieces that she couldn't quite line up together, moments that surprised her.

She could remember Magnus, the way he'd argued, every year, telling her mother that he didn't think she should... but her mother had always held firm, and eventually Magnus would sigh and agree. He apologized, every time, before he took her memories.

_I’m sorry, biscuit._

He'd always had paper and pencils and crayons set out for her, when she'd been little, something to distract her while he and her mother, and sometimes Luke too, talked about whatever had been going on in the Shadow World for the past year.

She realized, now, that they were checking for rumors of Valentine.

Her father.

Her father was a _monster._

Not like Luke was a werewolf, or warlocks were apparently part-demon, but an actual, literal, killing people for fun and gain _monster._

Luke was a _werewolf._

"You all right?" Clary looked up at Izzy, who smiled and nudged her shoulder. "Did the table do something terrible?"

Clary shook her head, but could feel a smile lightening the pressure behind her eyes. "Sorry, there's just a lot." She shrugged, and pointed at her temple. "Apparently my dad...” Her voice trailed off. She’d never called Luke _Dad_  to his face, and she regretted it now, especially now that she had a terrible biological father for comparison. “The guy who took me and Simon to all those _take your kid to work days_ growing up is a werewolf? His eyes turned green and he growled at something that almost attacked us when I was ten, and I forgot until right now."

"Lucian Graymark." Clary blinked as Magnus came through the door. "He was Valentine's _parabatai_ before he became a werewolf. He changed his name when his family disowned him."

Clary didn't know what to say to that. To any of this. Werewolves and _angel-blood,_ and honestly, except for the three in the room right now, Alec closing the door behind him and Magnus, it kind of sounded like most Shadowhunters were assholes. Maryse Lightwood certainly hadn't countered that impression.

"Luke Garroway?" Alec asked, and Clary couldn't help but smile at the expression on Magnus' face, at the answering smile in Alec's eyes. She'd thought Alec was one of those assholes too, at first. For once she was enjoying being wrong.

"Yeah." Clary frowned, a different memory trying to come clear. "He might know where the Cup is." The three Shadowhunters got tense, and she shook her head before any of them could say something. "He doesn't _have it_ , have it. Mom hid it and he might know where the thing she hid it in is?"

Her voice trailed up, and Jace shook his head with a half-a-grin on his face. "What thing?"

Clary paused, and looked at Magnus, and remembered over ten years of crayons and hot chocolate and sincere apologies.

She looked at Alec, whose eyes were clear and whose face was open and whose shoulders were relaxed. He stood perfectly still and calm, and waited as if understood.

She could tell he wouldn't wait forever, but he'd wait as long as he could.

"Mom could put things into drawings. Take them out again." She was looking at Alec, and she saw his eyes widen. Izzy whistled softly. "The Cup's the Ace in Mom's tarot deck."

"Can you get it out, like your mother?" Jace's voice was soft, and she almost slid her arm sideways so she could take his hand.

"I'm not sure." She sniffed, remembered Magnus' voice, _I can't feel her magic anymore._ "Dot knew where the Cup was, I think, she was always extra careful with Mom's deck."

Magnus made a small pained noise in the back of his throat.

Alec leaned closer until he was right against Magnus' side. Magnus leaned back until his head rested on Alec's shoulder. "Which means Valentine probably knows, too."

"Which means we need to hurry." Izzy's eyes were wide and sympathetic when Clary looked over at her. "If Valentine can make Jocelyn pull it out again..."

Clary shook her head. "She had a plan for that. She said..." Clary frowned. Why couldn't she get it all to line up right? "She was working with someone."

Clary could remember Ragnor Fell's name, could remember the tone of her mother's voice when she'd introduced him to Clary, could remember her mother's whisper, her insistence that Clary repeat his name back, could say it over and over, clearly trying to make sure it would be one of the first things Clary could hold on to, once she got all her memories back.

Clary couldn't, despite it all, remember what he _looked like._ There was just... a vague blur with an accent? A _green_ blur? Or was that the potion, the back-up plan he'd helped her mother make? "Ragnor Fell made her a potion."

"Ragnor?" Magnus straightened up. Alec’s mouth twisted as if in disappointment, and Clary almost smiled, despite it all.

Clary half-shrugged, half-nodded at Magnus.

"I've been trying to get the damn man to come visit for years, and he concocted some sort of plan with Jocelyn Fairchild and never told me?"

Alec coughed into his hand, apparently failing at not being amused at the sheer _offense_ on Magnus' face. "Apparently."

"Well." Magnus, pulled his jacket down with one sharp snap of his wrists. "I can go talk to Ragnor, while Clary goes to Luke? I doubt he'd trust anyone else, considering."

Jace snorted, and nodded in agreement. "I'm going with her."

"Take Izzy, too." Alec glared when Jace opened his mouth as if to argue. "No one goes on mission by themselves until we take care of Valentine, and Clary doesn't count."

"No offense." Izzy offered, when Alec didn't.

"None taken." Clary remembered some of the things that sometimes came sniffing around the week or so before they went back to Magnus to suppress her... magic, apparently. They were not nice things. "Rather not get eaten by a grue."

Alec looked concerned and Jace was slightly annoyed, but Izzy's voice just sounded curious. "What's a grue?"

"Shadowhunters." Magnus rolled his eyes. "It's from a computer game. One older than you, biscuit."

"Doesn't mean I've never heard of it." Clary shrugged. "Plus, Simon spent a weekend trying to beat the entire Zork trilogy fuelled by nothing but Mountain Dew and M&M's."

Alec's concerned face looked like he couldn't decide between disgusted and offended now, but Izzy giggled, and Clary felt herself smile again.

"No reason to wait." Alec lifted his chin, aiming all of them towards the door. "Try and stay out of trouble."

Izzy smiled, wide and teasing. "None of us have done anything as _troublesome_ as you did this morning."

"Thank you?" Alec almost looked uncomfortable, a hint of a blush on his cheeks. But there was a smile in his eyes, and Jace's answering grin seemed clearly to be something they were feeding back into each other through that weird soul-bond thing they had.

"You're welcome." Izzy blew him a kiss, and then she and Jace nudged Clary towards the door.

"So, where are we going to find your friend, anyways?" Clary heard Alec asking Magnus as they left, but the door swung shut behind them before she heard the answer.


	4. Chapter 4

At first Alec thought Ragnor really didn't want to see them, didn't want anything to do with any of them, and he couldn't figure out how Jocelyn had managed to get anything out of him, ever, much less a full-service plot of some sort.

But then Alec shot a demon, and Ragnor and Magnus hugged and held each other a bit too tightly to be dismissed as casual. Alec realized Ragnor was just as freaked out as the rest of them, he just hid it by being a sarcastic ass.

That was kind of familiar.

That seemed like a good sign, actually, that Alec was a lot like one of his improbably gorgeous soulmate's best friends. As soon as Ragnor rolled his eyes at him, Alec felt better about... well, everything, actually. Especially about dragging Ragnor back to the Institute so they could have a talk behind a couple extra layers of wards.

Luke was there when they got back, tarot deck in hand, and they proceeded to have an argument. Or ten. At least Alec had managed to get them all back into a conference room again first.

No one could agree about what to do with the cards, what to do with Ragnor, what to do next about Jocelyn, how much shit they were all going to be in as soon as Maryse decided to start talking to them again, what the Clave was likely up to, how many Circle sympathizers were working for the Institute, _possibly including his parents,_ which was a thing Alec didn't know how to think about at all, because if he did he was going to do something like punch one of them, or try and lock them in the cells, or something equally stupid that would accomplish nothing except make a mess.

It was exhausting. Alec wasn't quite sure how seven people seemed to manage to have ten different opinions on _everything,_ but it didn't take long before he was _done._

"Enough!" He was kind of surprised when that worked, but he blinked and tried not to show it. "We'll leave the Cup in the cards, since Valentine probably can't get it out again, and I'll put it in the Institute safe under _my_ locking rune." He raised his eyebrows as everyone looked at him. Whether it was the right call or not, they all had to trust everyone in the room, which meant they had to trust him. Luke didn't look thrilled by that, but he seemed to realize it was the best option they had right now. He handed the box over.

"Ragnor," Alec turned toward their sort-of guest, who frowned at him, but was quiet about it Judging from the set of Magnus' shoulders, that was actually a pretty good sign. "While you are more than welcome to stay at the Institute..." He trailed off as Ragnor shuddered. _Circle sympathizers_ had been the loudest part of the discussion a minute ago. "It's probably better if no one here—" Alec tilted his head to signify the Institute itself, not the people in the room, "—knows where your new safe-house is."

Ragnor's lips tightened, and he and Magnus looked at each other, and had the sort of silent conversation only people who were very close could manage. Eventually Magnus sighed, and Ragnor rolled his eyes.

"We'll go take care of that, I think." Magnus offered Alec a smile, small and not quite happy, but it made Alec's breath catch, and it was impossible not to smile back.

"Come get me when you're done?" Alec's voice was softer than he'd ever heard himself talk in public, especially considering everyone else was standing there looking at him, but he didn't regret it at all when Magnus' eyes brightened and his smile widened.

"Of course."

He watched Magnus escort Ragnor out of the room. Luke was staring at him when he finally managed to tear his attention away from the door after it closed behind them. Izzy was grinning, and Jace looked like he was about to say something unfortunate.

Alec rolled his eyes. Luke opened his mouth, as if he was about to ask, and Alec raised his left hand to show him the stars across his fingers.

Luke's mouth stayed very slightly open, and he blinked.

Clary giggled. Alec felt his own mouth twitch as he tried not to smile. It was almost fun surprising everyone with his soulmark. Finally not hiding... _everything._

Not hiding anything.

He wondered who he'd get to show it to tomorrow.

"Alec," Clary started, and stopped, and her mouth twisted. Alec lifted his eyebrows. He had no idea what to do with a Clary that wasn't just... _charging forward,_ literally or metaphorically. He was starting to realize he might like that about her, if he ever got a whole day where she didn't seem to ratchet up the insanity an extra five levels.

Maybe.

"I might—" her head tilted. Alec was getting a little worried now. She blinked, and her eyes looked almost damp, and she shook her head, and this was definitely a little terrifying. "Just in case my mom, we can't..."

_Oh._

"We'll get her back, Clary."

She met his eyes at last. "And if we don't, what happens to that card?"

"We're no worse off, and hey, no one else can steal the Cup again," Jace said, though he did not sound nearly as easy about it as the words themselves implied.

"I might be able to get it out," Clary said, gaze steady as she looked at Alec.

The whole room went still, and Alec shook his head. "Not yet. But," he held his hand up to stop her when it looked like she was about to interrupt. "If that's something you want to practice, make sure it's somewhere secure." He glared over her head at Jace and Izzy. This was _not_ something they could afford to half-ass. "We can _not_ risk someone learning you can get at it. It makes you even more of a target than you are already."

"What, Valentine needs two reasons to kidnap me?"

"No, kiddo." Luke's voice was heavy and slow. "Anyone who thinks they're losing _their_ chance to get the Cup will try and kill you, so no one _else_ can get it."

Clary's eyes closed, and she swallowed. For a half-breath she almost looked fragile

Clary was having a really, _really,_ crappy week. He... could not empathize, for the first time in at least ten years. His fingers curled, guarding the splash of stardust, hiding it in the shadow of his palm. Not that he'd forgotten the previous ten years of his own crappy weeks. Alec sighed. He hadn't ever known how to get himself out of that sort of mood; he certainly didn't have a clue how to help Clary.

But his siblings did. They'd managed him, after all.

Jace leaned over and bumped against Clary's shoulder. "Maybe we could show you around. This is your Institute now, you know."

"Get some food, maybe some new shoes..." Isabelle's voice trailed off and she draped her arm on Clary's other shoulder. "Start up again tomorrow, help Ragnor with his spell. We've got a plan."

Clary smiled, and it was sharp and bright. Alec almost sighed again. Regular bulldozer Clary was back. It had been a nice break, that single minute. She slipped out from between Izzy and Jace, and stepped close enough to Luke to wrap her arms around him.

Luke hugged her back, and the Lightwoods all slipped out the door before they accidentally heard anything else.

"Joining us for a break?" Izzy asked, sounding almost hopeful.

Alec shook his head. Jace rolled his eyes and huffed out a breath. Alec rolled his eyes back and huffed louder. Izzy put her hands on both their shoulders, a gentle reminder she was more than willing to smack their foreheads together as needed.

Alec restrained himself from rolling his eyes again. "Someone has to finesse the mission reports, since we have no idea who's really reading them, apparently."

"Oh." Jace frowned. "Good point. Here I thought you were avoiding Clary."

"Well, it's a bonus."

Jace and Izzy smacked him on opposite shoulders, and he grumbled half-heartedly.

Reese was walking by, and she did a double-take and almost tripped over her own boots. Alec carefully didn't look over at her, he hated when people stared at him every time he moved, but he could tell she retreated down the hallway at twice her usual speed.

"What just happened?" Alec looked at Jace and Izzy. Jace shrugged.

Izzy grinned, and smacked his shoulder again. "Ouch." Alec stepped back and away. Not that that would even slow her down, but the principle seemed sound.

"You're smiling." Izzy informed him, sounding painfully smug. "In public. When there are no kids around. Not sure anyone here's seen that before."

"What's this about kids?" Clary almost bounced back into view, Luke stepping more sedately behind her.

Izzy just shook her head, her smile lighting up her face. "That's one you'll have to wait to see. Words don't do it justice."

Jace leaned closer to Clary, his voice dropping, though he was loud enough for Alec to hear easily. "Alec's the most popular babysitter in the Institute."

"Screaming five-year-olds are much easier to reason with than you two."

Luke coughed. To be fair, he was probably the only person there with much experience with screaming five-year-olds. Alec suspected Clary had been more the _constantly running out of sight and climbing all the furniture_ five-year-old than the _screaming at the top of their lungs_ five-year-old, but they tended to overlap.

He bet her mundane friend just followed along and tried to keep them both from dying.

Alec had a sudden unexpected surge of sympathy for Simon.

"But I have work." Alec waved them all in the general direction of the mess. "I hear they're making chocolate chip cookies today, go see if you can get some before they're all gone."

Izzy and Jace and Clary turned with an audible clatter of footsteps, and Luke chuckled softly. "Still resorting to bribery, hmm?"

"Cookies work on almost everyone."

Luke shrugged agreement. "I could use some chocolate chips myself."

"Thank you, Luke." Alec said softly before Luke had managed more than a couple of steps. "For trusting us."

Luke shook his head. "I trust Clary, and she trusts you." He looked over his shoulder, and Alec could see his determination in the line of his back, the glint of a wolf hiding behind the mundane color of his eyes. "Don't prove her wrong."

He was gone before Alec managed a response.

Not that there was much to say to that. He'd try his best.

No. It wasn't just him. Izzy and Jace... and Magnus, now. They'd try their best.

Hopefully it would be enough.

* * *

Izzy showed up at his office a few hours later. Alec had finished the initial reports, and was trying to set things up so the next batch would be easier, no matter how much of the truth he had to wiggle around. Stupid and tedious, but not terribly difficult.

She collapsed dramatically into a chair, and waved at him when he lifted his head. "Luke headed back to work a while ago. Jace and Clary are... practicing."

Alec snorted. It sounded like a terrible innuendo, but for once he knew it wasn't. It worked well, though, if anyone happened to be wandering by. "I do not need details."

Izzy laughed. She knew what he meant and what it sounded like as well as he did. They were depressingly good at this. They'd had a lot of practice, whenever their parents were around. Talking about anything too important with them tended to be painful.

Alec pushed away from his desk, and wandered over to the chair near Izzy. It wasn’t that late. Alec usually worked later than this, busy work or paperwork or training. But for once, he didn’t want to. He’d had a good day. He could be _done_.

Izzy's eyes lit up as he sat near her. "Oh, does this mean I can finally get some details about last night?"

Alec groaned, but he waved his hand in a _all right, continue_ sort of motion.

"You spent the night with a guy, Alec." She leaned a little closer, and her voice dropped. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

"Not much." Her eyes widened. "Not like that!"

She bounced a little in her chair, clearly impatient, and he could feel himself blushing.

"We went out for _tapas._ And walked around for ages. And we talked. And we went back to his loft, and he made me a drink by snapping his fingers and even his cocktails are sparkly." Alec couldn't help a sigh. He stared down at his hands in his lap, watching how the firelight caught against the stars under his skin. He still had no clue how this had happened. How he'd gotten so damn lucky. He didn't know how to describe how he felt, how to describe _Magnus._ Too good to be true? "He's just..."

"Awww." Izzy reached across the space between them to pat his arm when it became obvious he wasn't going to manage more than that. He looked up to see her smiling at him, blinking her eyes as if she was afraid she was going to cry. "I'm happy for you."

"So am I." His voice was soft. He hadn't ever expected _happy._ He wasn't sure what to do with it. He was kind of afraid he might start sniffling at any moment, too. "Though, I fell asleep on his couch kind of mid-sentence, which is maybe a little embarrassing."

"You were comfortable there." Izzy tilted her head. "Bet you slept better even half hanging off a couch than you have here in ages."

Alec blinked. He had. He shrugged his agreement, and was probably blushing again to judge by the fact that Izzy was giggling. At him, clearly. Not that he minded. She hadn't sounded that happy in ages either.

"Well aren't you two as pretty as a picture."

"Magnus!" Alec leaned precariously around the edge of his chair, looking toward the door, to the voice that was already familiar, already comforting. He was pretty sure he looked ridiculous, and the smile he could feel on his face wasn't any better, but he didn't care. Magnus was just so _beautiful._ Absolutely worth watching him walk closer. "Hi."

Magnus was smiling too, and he stopped only a step away. “Hi.”

Isabelle snorted. She was grinning when Alec turned to look at her. “Go on, you know you want to.”

He did. He really really did. Alec turned his wrist, and Magnus took his hand, and pulled him up and out of his chair. “Emergencies only,” Alec looked down at his sister, and Izzy’s laugh followed them into the hallway.


	5. Chapter 5

Cat knew who was waiting just outside her door. She didn't know _why_ they were waiting; they usually just barged right in. She considered ignoring them. If they didn't want to come in, it was probably bad news. It wasn't as if Magnus or Ragnor had ever been shy or hesitant about much of anything. Ever.

She'd had enough bad news for a lifetime, she didn't need more.

Cat sighed, and waved a hand to open her front door, shouting from her bedroom as she was still digging out pants that weren't scrubs. "Stop confusing my wards by lurking and come in already."

Neither of them said anything, but she felt them pass through the wards, and heard the click of the door closing behind them. 

She stepped out of her bedroom to find them both just standing there in the middle of her living room. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at them.

They were silent. They weren't talking or squabbling or _anything._ That was worrisome. She stared a little harder and waited.

Magnus cracked first. 

"Well, then, I'll leave you to get settled, shall I? Things to do, rolodex to find—"

"Magnus." Cat interrupted him before he could step back out the door again. 

Magnus sighed and flopped down onto Cat's sofa with a groan. 

"Valentine has figured out some way to change demons enough that one got through Ragnor's wards and I need to let every Warlock in New York know they're even less safe than they think they are and also Ragnor needs a place to stay since the Circle found him and there's a dead demon in his house?" He somehow made it through all of it on one breath.

Cat very slowly lowered herself into her chair. 

Ragnor sat next to Magnus. "Summon your list or address book or whatever, we'll help tell everyone." He sounded even more tired than Cat felt. "And then we can talk about the rest of it."

"There's more?" Cat felt her voice lift up higher than usual as she looked back and forth between them. The lurch of worry in her chest settled upon realizing they were rolling their eyes at each other. 'The rest of it', whatever 'it' was, clearly wasn't that serious. "Nevermind."

Why were her best friends such _toddlers_? Cat shook her head at the both of them as she made herself stand up again. "Ragnor, you contact the Spiral Labyrinth, let them know, see if they have any suggestions. Magnus, get your list, I'll start the tea."

"Why aren't you High Warlock again?" Magnus asked, his words accompanied by a slow lift of his eyebrow and a curling smile. 

"Because I have a real job, dear." 

Magnus snorted, and started to wave a hand for his summoning spell. Cat had turned around on her way to the kitchen before he finished; the soft 'pop' of his ridiculously old-fashioned rolodex appearing behind her was barely louder than her footsteps. She wouldn't be surprised to find he'd summoned fountain pens to go with it.

Ah well. Tea. Then phone calls and fire messages. Fun.

It didn't take nearly as long as it should have to alert the remaining Warlocks in the area. Too many of them were dead, even more that had fled the area completely or were too well hidden for even Magnus to find them.

"Did Iris seem odd to you?" Ragnor enunciated carefully, clearly tired and worried both. 

Magnus shrugged. "Maybe, but it's not like anyone is at their best right now. I'll check in later."

"The _later_ list is getting quite long, isn't it?" Cat sighed, and stared at her empty mug. She didn't want to get up for more tea. Magicked tea was never quite as good, though. "Is it time to replace the tea with something stronger?"

"Always," Ragnor said. Cat lifted her head to blink at him, surprised that he'd agreed before Magnus.

Magnus, who was looking down into his mug with something close to a smile, and apparently hadn't heard the question at all.

Cat turned to Ragnor. He shrugged.

"Magnus?" Cat asked. Twice, since he didn't respond the first time.

"Hmm?" Magnus finally put his tea on the end table and looked up, his eyes flickering gold. Which was another thing to add to the _things to worry about later_ list, as he had one of the steadiest glamours Cat had ever seen.

"The rest of it?"

Magnus started to shrug. Ragnor answered instead. "Someone showed up to my house with a _Shadowhunter_."

"Who killed the demon before it got you!" Magnus leaned forward. The hint of a smile had disappeared from his expression. "And you've apparently been plotting with Jocelyn Fairchild without telling us. Pot, kettle."

" _Former_ Shadowhunter, in Miss Fairchild's case." Ragnor didn't roll his eyes, didn't raise his voice or smirk or rush through his words; he was definitely biding his time for _something_. "I helped her with her potion almost ten years ago, I didn't know it was going to come up again _now._ "

"Potion?" Cat interrupted. "Jocelyn? And Clary too, then?" Cat turned to look at Magnus. "Did her mother finally give her her memories back?"

"Not quite." Magnus spread his hands in a wide shrug, and Cat noticed a flash of red in the middle of his palm. 

"Are you all r—" She stood up and started forward and stopped again a step later as she realized it was not at all the correct shade of red for blood. And that Magnus had frozen mid-gesture, a look she didn't recognize on his face. "Are you _blushing?_ "

Ragnor grunted, clearly agreeing that this was all very strange. He reached for Magnus' wrist, and pulled until Magnus opened his fingers wide so they could both see his palm.

Which had a red feather on it.

_Which had a soulmark on it._

An activated soulmark, or they wouldn't be able to see it, which meant Magnus had _let someone touch his soulmark._

Cat felt her mouth open, but couldn't quite make words happen.

"Well," Ragnor let go of Magnus' wrist and leaned back with a soft hum. "Now I know why you've been so weird about shaking people's hands for the last decade."

"Maybe closer to fifteen years?" Cat managed in response, though her voice felt rougher than usual. _Fifteen years, and he never said a word..._

Ragnor tilted his head, pursing his lips in what looked like reluctant agreement. 

Magnus had a soulmate.

Cat started to smile. "You have a soulmate."

"You let someone in." Ragnor sounded proud. 

Magnus ducked his head. He really was blushing. Cat had never seen that before, not once, not from embarrassment, not any other time he'd fallen in love or lust or infatuation. Cat collapsed back into her chair, and her smile widened. 

_Wait._ She blinked.

"You brought a _Shadowhunter_ to Ragnor's very well-hidden house."

"He did." Ragnor leaned closer to Cat, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. "He brought the eldest Lightwood boy, no less!"

Cat covered her mouth with both hands, not entirely sure if she was holding in a horrified gasp or semi-hysterical laughter.

"Said Lightwood couldn't keep his eyes off Magnus, barely even glancing away long enough to kill the damnable demon." Ragnor lifted his eyebrows high enough the wrinkles on his forehead curved around his horns. "Seemed odd at the time, but now?"

"Alec." Magnus finally spoke, and his voice, _oh his voice._ His voice was soft and tentative and warm, warm enough Cat had to blink the damp out of her eyes. "His name is Alexander."

"He has an excellent eye-roll, I approve." Ragnor's lips twitched with clear amusement. "He didn't even try and make me stay at the Institute."

"He wants to help." Magnus' voice skittered sideways, as if he couldn't make himself say what he was thinking. "He even stood up to Maryse this morning. Glared her down in the hallways of her own Institute."

Cat lowered her hands, possessed of a sudden almost overwhelming urge to clap with delight. 

Magnus swallowed, his voice barely louder than a whisper when he spoke again. "He's so pretty, Cat."

Cat pushed her lips together to hold in a giggle. She tilted her head towards Ragnor and lifted her eyebrows. _Is he really?_

Ragnor shrugged, and nodded, and Cat actually did giggle this time. "He takes more after his mother than his father, in that regard. Dark hair and good cheekbones."

Magnus groaned. "Please don't make me think about Maryse and Robert any more than necessary in this situation."

"My sincerest apologies." Ragnor grinned, entirely unrepentant, and leaned closer to Cat. "He probably takes after some Trueblood ancestor. He's even taller than Magnus."

"Tall, dark-haired, and an active Shadowhunter build?" Cat whistled. "It's like fate made him just for you, darling."

Ragnor snorted.

Magnus sighed again, though it was definitely more lovesick than relieved this time. "His eyelashes are positively sinful. And he blushes!"

"Not for the rest of us he doesn't." Ragnor shook his head. "He glared."

"I swear my heart stopped beating when I saw him." Magnus smiled, small and sweet. Cat had to blink the heat out of her eyes again. She held her breath, determined not to interrupt the remarkable occasion of Magnus voluntarily talking about his emotions. "He had just shot a Circle member before he could attack though, so..."

Ragnor hummed softly in encouragement, but he didn't interrupt either. 

"I thought I'd flirt a little, get it out of my system." Magnus lifted a hand, as if to wave away all potential _feelings,_ but then his fingers slowly curled back together, and he closed his eyes, as if savoring the memory. "We set up for Valak's summoning, and he was standing on my right and he paused, as if there was a decision to make, and it was only then I realized I hadn't touched him yet, that I hadn't..." Magnus opened his eyes as he trailed off, then looked down at his palm.

"Hadn't 'protected' yourself," Cat finished. She'd never thought it protection, but she knew that had been how Magnus had approached his soulmarks for centuries. 

"He's an archer," Ragnor said. It took a moment for Cat to parse the non-sequitur, and then Ragnor continued, making it explicit. "Red-fletched arrows."

Magnus' mark wouldn't have been _red_ before it was activated, but he must have made the connection to his feather and that first impression, that mutual pause, and he'd still done it, still taken his Alexander's hand. 

If she hadn't seen the feather herself, she never would have believed it. 

"I'm so happy for you," Cat said.

"Time to celebrate the fact that Magnus did not, for once, get in his own way, yes?" Ragnored leaned back into the sofa cushions before summoning a bottle into his hands. "Wine?"

Magnus shrugged, his head almost shaking back and forth with a no. 

"Magnus Bane!" Cat pointed at him. "I never imagined I'd see you so besotted that you'd turn down a drink."

Magnus tried to glare at her, but he still had that smile, so it didn't really work. 

"No, no." Ragnor disappeared the bottle, replaced it with a new one. "He's right, a proper celebration needs champagne."

Magnus laughed, and didn't roll his eyes _at all._ "I guess I can't argue with that."

"History would suggest you can argue with anyone about anything." Ragnor opened the bottle even as he teased, and Cat summoned a trio of champagne coupes onto her coffee table. 

Magnus snickered. "What, is it New Year's Eve, 1933?"

"Shush you, they're perfectly good crystal, why should I replace them?"

Ragnor ignored them both as he poured.

"To your Alexander?" Cat lifted her glass and offered it for the toast, smiling when Magnus and Ragnor both clinked their glasses against hers. 

"To Alexander."

They drank their champagne, and let the conversation wander where it would. They whiled away the afternoon with shared memories and the occasional glancing comment or question against the problem of how to adapt their wards to be more effective. Ragnor told them about Jocelyn's stasis spell, Magnus confirmed that Clary did have her memories back, even without Jocelyn's help. They didn't quite figure anything out, but they did think of a few places to start looking. Tomorrow. This might be their last chance for a quiet day like this, all three of them safe and warm. 

"Hmm." Cat closed her eyes and sighed, her fingers sliding along the edge of her now empty glass. "It's probably dinner time, isn't it?"

"Close enough." Cat heard Magnus moving, and opened her eyes just enough to peer at him as he stood and smoothed down his waistcoat. 

She grinned, and waved her fingers at him. "Have fun with your pretty boy."

"Ha." But instead of rolling his eyes Magnus smiled, and it was by far the softest expression she'd seen on his face in what felt like centuries.

Possibly ever.

"Tomorrow then." Ragnor nodded at Magnus, who stepped back into a hastily summoned portal with half-a-wave.

Cat sighed, and poured the last of the champagne out, topping off both their glasses. "To Magnus, and maybe not everyone dying?"

Ragnor snorted. "Who knows, the Nephilim might even help with that this time." 

"I think they might." Cat's eyes widened, her surprise only slightly exaggerated. "How times have changed."

"They always do." Ragnor's voice was dry, but his eyes were light with amusement. 

Cat shook her head, still smiling. She couldn't seem to stop, and it wasn't because of the champagne. "But not always for the better."

Ragnor allowed himself a smile back. He felt it too, Cat could tell, that odd shiver of hope in the air. "No, indeed not."

"To change?" She lifted her glass, one last time, and Ragnor clinked them together.

"To something better."


End file.
